110 THE iMPROVEMENT OF THE MIND. the soul with success in any one of the sciences, or in the affairs of life and religion. Beginning with 4, B, C, and making syllables out of let- ters, and words out of syllables, has been the foundation of all that glorious superstructure of arts and sciences which have en- riched the minds and libraries of the learned world in several ages. These are the first steps by which the ample and capa- cious souls among mankind have, arrived at that prodigious extent of knowledge ; which renders them the wonder and glory of the nation where they live. Though Plato and Cicero, Descartes and Mr. Boyle, Mr. Locke and Sir Isaac Newton, were doubtless favoured by nature with a genius of uncommon amplitude ; yet in their early years and first attempts Of science, this was but limited and narrow in comparison of what they at- tained at last. But how vast, and capacious were those powers which they afterwards acquired by patient attention and watchful Observation, by the pursuit of clear ideas and regular method of thinking. VI. Another means of acquiring this amplitude and capa- city of mind, is a perusal of difficult entangled questions, and of the solution of them in any science. Speculative and casuis- tical divinity will furnish us with many such casesand controver- sies, There are some such difficulties in reconciling several parts of the epistles of St. Paul relating to the Jewish law and the Christian gospel; a happy solution whereof will require such an extensive view of things, . and the reading of these happy solutions will enlarge this faculty in younger students. In morals and political subjects, Putfendorf's Law of Nature and Nations, and several determinations therein, will promote the saine amplitude of mind. An attendance on public trials and arguments in the civil courts of justice, will be of good advan- tage for this purpose, and after a man has studied the general principles of the law of nature and the laws of England in proper books, the reading the reports of adjudged cases, col- lected by men of great sagacity and judgment, will richly im- prove his mind toward acquiring this desirable amplitude and extent of thought, and more especially in persons of that pro- fession. CHAP. XVII. Of Improving the Memory. MEMORY is a distinct faculty of the mind of man, very different from perception, judgment and reasoning, and its other powers. Then we are said to remember 'any thing, when the idea of it arises in the mind with a consciousness at the same time that we have.had this idea, before. Our memory is our
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